The day it all changed. The day I stated never to take anything for granted. The day I learned to take charge of my life. It was the day I was diagnosed with cancer. Lance Armstrong More Quotes by Lance Armstrong More Quotes From Lance Armstrong Regardless of one victory, two victories, four victories, there's never been a victory by a cancer survivor. That's a fact that hopefully I'll be remembered for. Lance Armstrong cancer victory two When I was sick, I didn't want to die. Lance Armstrong sick dying race At least I didn't invent a dead girlfriend Lance Armstrong girlfriend In my most painful moments on the bike, I am at my most curious and I wonder each and every time how I will respond. Lance Armstrong painful-moments curious wonder The Europeans look down on raising your hands. They don't like the end-zone dance. I think that's unfortunate. That feeling - the finish line, the last couple of meters - is what motivates me. Lance Armstrong cycling couple thinking There were no shortcuts, I realized. It took years of racing to build up the mind and body and character until a rider had logged hundreds of races and thousands of miles of road. I wouldn't be able to win a Tour de France until I had enough iron in my legs, and lungs, and brain and Heart. Lance Armstrong winning heart character I've read that I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don't fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else. Lance Armstrong flew-up struggle inspirational At the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hoped I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whether I believed in a certain book, or whether I'd been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn't say, But you were never a Christian, so you're going the other way from heaven. If so, I was going to reply, You know what? You're right. Fine. Lance Armstrong judging christian book Cycling is a sport of the open road and spectators are lining that road. Lance Armstrong spectators cycling sports No one automatically gives you respect just because you show up. You have to earn it Lance Armstrong shows giving Hey. Pain can last a moment, it can last a day, it can last a week, it can last a long..long time, but it can't last forever and the only thing that can last forever is if you quit. Lance Armstrong pain forever long We all want to be forgiven. There's a lot of really, really bad people who want to be forgiven but will never be forgiven, and I might be in that camp. Lance Armstrong want might people If you go to Wikipedia and you look at the Tour de France, there's this huge block in World War One with no winners, and there's another block in World War Two. And then it seems like there's another world war. Lance Armstrong block war two I don't think history is stupid.History ultimately rectifies a lot of these things. If you had to ask me what I think happens in 50 years, I don't think it sits empty in 50 years. Maybe somebody else's name is there. But you can't leave it empty. Lance Armstrong stupid names thinking The ban is completely out of my hands. And I think in most people's minds, even if it's unrealistic to them, it's one that I left myself with no choice on. Lance Armstrong hands people thinking We've all made mistakes, they are not toxic and evil. Lance Armstrong toxic evil mistake Before my diagnosis [cancer] I was a competitor but not a fierce competitor. When I was diagnosed, that turned me into a fighter. Lance Armstrong diagnosis fighter cancer It was great to fight in training, great to fight in the race, but you don't need to fight in a press conference, or an interview, or a personal interaction. Lance Armstrong training fighting race I know what happened to my foundation, from raising no money to raising $500m, serving three million people. Do we want to take that away? I don't think anybody says yes. Lance Armstrong three people thinking I know what happened to cycling from 1999 to 2005. I saw its growth, I saw its expansion. Lance Armstrong expansion cycling growth
